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Updated November 6, 2017 at 1:04 PM;Posted November 6, 2017 at 12:05 PM

Jeff Gural is owner of the Tioga Downs "Vegas-style" casino in Nichols, west of Binghamton, and Vernon Downs, a "racino" with harness racing and slot machines in Vernon, between Syracuse and Utica.
(Mike Groll / AP)

VERNON, NY -- Vernon Downs owner Jeff Gural says he survived the 2017 harness season at his racetrack/casino only because New York state cut the amount of taxes he pays on gaming revenues.

Now, he's looking to 2018 with plans for another change: He wants to cut the number of slot machines at Vernon Downs from 750 to about 550. He plans to free up space in the racino to make it "more inviting" for customers.

He also plans to boost the racino's catering business, which he believes can generate more revenues.

"I think we can have more catering, more events," Gural said.

Gural confirmed he expects to "break even or maybe even make a few bucks" at Vernon Downs this year. In June, after Gural claimed he was losing $150,000 to $200,000 per month at Vernon, state lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo agreed to cut the fees the racino pays on its slot machine revenues. That saved Vernon Down about $2 million a year.

He also says the state's racinos were being treated unfairly because they paid a higher percentage to the state than the full-service casinos, which have table games and poker in addition to slots.

Vernon Downs operates as a racino, offering harness racing in season and year-round slot machines, plus dining, concerts and other entertainment. The harness season is typically held April to November. The 2017 season ended Saturday. Nov. 4.

Gural said the state's tax relief saved 300 jobs at Vernon Downs and preserve $10 to $12 million the racino pays the state to support education, plus about $2 million in taxes to Oneida County and the town of Vernon.

Gural is also the owner of Tioga Downs in Nichols, a former racino that converted to the full Vegas-style resort at the end of 2016. He stands by his contention that the casino industry is "saturated" in Upstate New York.

Still, he is opening a new hotel at Tioga Downs this month, and says its location is ideal for attracting visitors, especially those coming up from the south to visit the Finger Lakes wine region and other attractions.

"And we're more family friendly than a lot of the other places," he said.